Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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a system of weather-signals for display on railroad trains. This system became general throughout the United States and Canada, and was continued for a number of years. Dr. Mendenhall is a believer in good roads, and much of the splendid work in that direction during the past few years in Massachusetts has been under his supervision. He was appointed to the State Highway Commission by the late Gov. Roger Wolcott, and was chairman of the commission until his resigna¬ tion in 1900. Dr. Mendenhall has filled a number of important positions in national public life. In 1891 he became a member of the Behring Sea Commission, which had to solve many difficult problems. From 1892 to 1894 he was engaged in the United States and Great Britain boundary survey. A result of these labors has been a number of articles in leading magazines on the Alaskan boundary, treating the questions involved with authority. In this connection it may be interesting to note that one of the rivers in Alaska, not far from the recently discovered gold-fields, has been named after Dr. Mendenhall. Dr. Mendenhall is connected with numerous scientific onran- izations. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Metrological Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Engineers, and the American Antiquarian Society. As a lecturer, Dr. Mendenhall is most entertaining, and is widely known and much sought after. His favorite subjects are: “Future Sources of Power” and “Weighing of the Earth.” During the past year, however, he has found it impossible to accept many invitations to lecture, owing to failing health; and it is owing to this continued poor health that he was obliged, in December, 1900, to lay down the duties of President of the Institute, and resign that office which he has so ably and efficiently filled during the past seven years. During his Presidency many important and wise changes and

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Thomas Corwin Mendenhall, Ph. D., LL. D., President. R. MENDENHALL was born in Hanoverton, Ohio, in 1841. Unlike the rest of the Faculty, he is not a college graduate, but is, in fact, a self-educated man. From his youth he always evinced a strong inclina¬ tion to study scientific phenomena. To-day he is recognized as a leading authority in the field of physics. At an early age Dr. Mendenhall began his work as a teacher, and in 1873, on the opening of the Ohio State University, he was elected to the chair of physics and mechanics. In 1878 he went to Japan as Professor of Physics in the Imperial University, where one of his distinguished colleagues was Prof. J. A. Ewing. In 1881 he returned to the Ohio State University, where he received the degree of Ph. D. Three years later he was appointed by the government Professor of Electricity in the signal service. Resigning this position in 1886, he became the President of Rose Polytechnic Institute, and served in this capacity for three years, returning once more to the service of the government as superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. This position he resigned in 1894 to accept the Presidency of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In addition to his researches in the field of physics, Dr. Menden¬ hall has been active in the investigation of other scientific matters more or less closely related to physics. While with the United States Signal Service, he made a systematic study of atmospheric electricity. In fact he is regarded as an authority on weather observations. He was the first one to devise and put in operation 10

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additions have been made at the Institute. The mechanical laboratory building and the power laboratory, which were being built at the time of his appointment, were equipped under his direction. Practically a new faculty and corps of instructors have been selected, and they, joined to his untiring energy and tact, have raised the Institute to its present high standard. It is with sincere regret that we learn of the President’s inability to continue his splendid work. For now that our long years draw to a close, we begin to appreciate more than ever his efforts in our behalf. We know that Dr. Mendenhall has been thoroughly in sympathy with us, and has not been blind to the fact that it takes courage as well as ability to complete the courses that the Institute offers. He has our best wishes for a speedy return and complete restoration to health, and may fresh honors await him. 12